Photoprotective personal care composition

Abstract

The invention relates to photoprotective personal care compositions. It is an object of the present invention to provide for benefits of photoprotection over the visible light region while giving the skin a pleasing even appearance. This is achieved by using a selective combination of an inorganic pigment particle that has a specific light scattering property (reflection of incident light predominantly in the blue region) and an organic dye that has a specific light absorption property (absorption of incident light predominantly in the blue region).

1 . A photoprotective personal care composition comprising
 (i) 0.5 to 10% of inorganic pigment particles in the size range between 0.015 to 0.4 micrometer which scatter greater than 50% of light in the wavelength range 400 to 550 nm with respect to total scattered light in the range of 400 to 700 nm selected from titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, and   (ii) 0.01 to 0.5% of organic dye which absorbs greater than 50% of light in the wavelength range 400 to 550 nm with respect to total absorbed light in the range of 400 to 700 nm, selected from FDC Red 4, FDC Red 1 or DC Brown.   
     
     
         2 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inorganic pigment particles are white. 
     
     
         3 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said composition is a leave-on composition 
     
     
         4 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  comprising 0.1 to 5% by weight tea extract. 
     
     
         5 . Use of a composition as claimed in  claim 1  for protection of the external surface of a human body against the harmful effects of visible light without altering the skin appearance.